


Us... But not Quite

by The_Scooby_Gang



Category: Scooby Doo - All Media Types, Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated (Cartoon 2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Scooby Doo Fusion, But this version is revised and have some addictions to it, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Crossover, I REGRET NOTHING, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Multi, Poly Scooby gang, When Poly Gang mets Dysfunctional Gang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25865962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Scooby_Gang/pseuds/The_Scooby_Gang
Summary: After falling through a portal while they were being chased by their most horrifying monster yet, The Scooby Gang finds themselves in a place they have never been before.A place called Crystal Cove.
Relationships: Daphne Blake & Velma Dinkley & Fred Jones & Norville "Shaggy" Rogers & Scooby Doo, Daphne Blake/Fred Jones, Daphne Blake/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, Daphne Blake/Velma Dinkley, Daphne Blake/Velma Dinkley/Fred Jones/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, Fred Jones/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, My Scooby Gang & Mystery Incorporated, Velma Dinkley/Fred Jones, Velma Dinkley/Marcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach, Velma Dinkley/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers
Comments: 48
Kudos: 150





	1. There is no Crystal Cove

**Author's Note:**

> A New, more refined version of my fic "Us... But not quite" first posted on my Tumblr.
> 
> [Us...But not quite. The Tumblr version](https://the-scooby-gang.tumblr.com/post/620203663861891072/us-but-not-quite)

No one saw the portal.

Shaggy was running ahead each step faster than the last with Scooby in rapid pursuit with Fred, Velma, and Daphne not too far behind. The Blackhill ghost loomed over their backs way to close for comfort.

The hallways of the old medical facility were narrow, without a window on sight, either covered in mould or falling apart. Their steps resonated on the walls and a thousand same steps followed them echoing in the stale air. The light system was barely functional. It kept flickering on and off as if it was candlelight on the wind, making each step be in the weak light or in the complete void with only their lanterns to lead the way.

Shaggy spent most of the night with one hand firmly intertwined with one member of the gang at a time, while his other hand was almost glued to Scoob’s collar. Since the gang started dating, Shaggy was shedding his fears little by little. Their presence, their love. It gave him comfort. Strength. For months he, and by extension Scooby, was getting more confidence, feeling encouraged by their presence and their faith in them.

Even their acting and disguises were getting better.

“Like, it’s easier to be brave when you are pretending, you know?” Shaggy had said after The Pongie circus case. He was smiling from the back of the van, a giant dress over his lap. Daphne was helping him sew it back together after the skirts had been lacerated by the ghost lions. Truly it was one of their most festive cases.

But this case... This case was different somehow. Something was… off about this particular mystery. And it was not only Shaggy that noticed it.

The Blackhill scientist was a grotesque creature. There were local legends that said that one of the leading scientists tried several experiments on himself, trying to become something more than human. Something better.

However, not even armed with this information was enough to prepare them.

His skin was rotten and blackened, falling away from his body like rags. The fingers no longer had any flesh on them with the white bone looking more and more like claws the closer he got. Where the right eye should be there was only maggots and darkness. And the smell… Scooby, Shaggy and Daphne, the three with the most sensitive noses in the group, were beyond nauseated when they made the first contact.

“It smells like something rotten. Remember when we found that roadkill that was left for days in the rain in the Arizona case? It’s like that, but worse somehow” Daphne whispered to no one in particular, walking down one of the many corridors, the creature long lost to the labyrinth of hallways and old medical equipment. 

Walking down the corridors of the ancient facility bundled together as Fred didn’t feel like dividing them, which should have been their first inkling that something horrendous was about to go down, the absence of windows and precarious old led lights gave the place an eerie feeling keeping them all on edge. 

“Yeah. Like, as if something started to eat it and then threw up all over the carcass” Shaggy whispered back, with his hand on Daphne’s strong grip, his voice even softer than hers. Scooby whimpered in fear. Looking around anxiously at misshaped shadows at the wall, the Great Dane got closer to his best friend.

Velma and Fred were walking just a breath ahead. They didn’t know what frightened them more: the roadkill memory; the smell; or the fact that even with both of them whispering, they could hear them as perfectly as if they had shouted.

It was then that they started to notice something different about their surroundings. No wind passed them by. No door creaked from years of disuse. There was no sign of the pitter-patter of the rain that they knew they left behind...

Their feet no longer made a sound on the marble floors.

It was at this moment when it appeared again.

Now they were running. Running, running, running. It was there. Just behind them. Approaching slowly like it had all the time in the world. Each step it took, more and more of its skin graced the floor like rotten leaves. But the most unsettling thing was the bottom half. Where in any other human-shaped being a pair of legs would be present, the Blackhill monster had… something else…

They could not see clearly over the flickering dim light. Only that it was big. Big, contorted, and decaying. 

Even running they could not take their eyes away from the thing. How the sheer presence of… whatever that thing was… consumed the entire dark corridor. How they were, even without knowing, running from its shadow as if it was a second entity entirely.

Maybe if they were more attentive they would have seen where the creature was leading them.

Maybe they would have seen the portal.

Falling, falling, falling. The portal appeared endless and void of anything. It was cold. Far colder than any cemetery they had ever wandered, darker than any night they have ever seen. There was no sound coming from nowhere. Even their screams refused to leave their throats.

Grabbing each other for fear of being torn apart, they fell, and fell, and fell…

But every fall eventually ends. They laid on the ground not too far apart from each other.

They were outside again as the sun was just starting to rise.

Fred was the first one to take a grasp on his senses. Groaning from the pain of the impact, he looked around looking for signs that his scattered lovers and dog were all there. When he counted three heads of hair and one furry muzzle he allowed his heart rate to calm down.

One less problem to think about.

“Hey gang, is everybody ok?” he asked, crawling slowly to where Daphne was sitting, one hand on her head, trying to make the world stop spinning for five seconds.

“If by _Being Ok,_ you actually mean _I feel like a used spinning top,_ then yeah. I’m doing ok.” Velma’s voice sounded as if all her air had been punched out of her lungs. She had fallen in the dry grass belly first trying her damndest to prop herself in unsteady hands and wobbly knees. Her glasses were nowhere to be found. 

“Rhat was rhat rhing?” Scooby asked, still shaking from head to tail, but not the less approached Velma to serve as support to the, at the moment, completely blind woman.

“To what are you referring to here, love? The sleep paralysis demon following us or the Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole that we just fell into?” Daphne was now standing, cleaning her skirt the best she could while using Fred’s arms as support. The world was still spinning, even if now in a more calm pace.

“The portal, silly” Velma answered for Scooby, who was nodding along with frantic _Reah, Reah, Reah_. Clearly he was not even wanting to think about whatever the hell was going down that corridor. “The creep was what all creeps are. It was probably just another middle-aged man in a… to be fair, a really convincing costume…” her voice vacillated a little. Even some of their most scary crooks didn’t pull this kind of feeling of dread from them.

“Well, man, if it was, like, a crook in a suit we have found the most invested lunatic on the planet! Like, what did he do? Bathed in the remains of some poor cow somewhere in the, like, local slaughterhouse? That man stinks.” Shaggy’s voice came from someplace on their left.

While the others had fallen into the open, Shaggy found himself into an assortment of bushes. With his limbs tangled in odd angles. He was also stuck.

“Aaaah, like, a little help here?”

Snickering, Scooby approached his best friend, helping him out of his plant prison. Cleaning him for any leftover leaves, Scooby perched himself in his owner's back like he was an extension of his body. 

It was a testament of Shaggy’s body strength that he didn’t seem fazed at all by the 175 pounds of Great Dane in his back.

Velma chuckled as she approached slowly the blurry form that was Shaggy and Scooby. She reached them with clumsy fingers, trying to discern which of the two heads belonged to her boyfriend.

While she removed stray twigs from his sandy hair, Velma asked Daphne for a Scooby Snack. Scoob peaked himself immediately, happily wagging his tail.

“What a ham!” Said Fred when he approached arm in arm with Daphne, the promised treat already in hand.

As Scooby gleefully devoured his snack to the sound of the laughter of the gang, Shaggy started looking in his pockets. With a small _Aha_ , he brandished a pair of red-rimmed glasses like they were the most important artefact created by humanity.

He slowly cupped Velma’s face with his hand while the other gently put the spare glasses over her eyes. When she finished adjusting them, he leaned down and gave a little kiss to her nose, causing a wave of giggles to escape her lips.

Snickering, Scooby slowly left his perch on Shaggy’s back to take place by Daphne’s side, who had already forced the world back on its axis, no longer using Fred as a beefy staff.

The atmosphere had lightened considerably. The dread that had consumed them was now on the back of their heads. 

For now, at least.

“Ok gang, first things first.” Fred started looking around, searching for some sort of familiarity on their new surroundings “We have to figure out where exactly we are before we figure out how we got here. Velma, any ideas?” he turned to the sweater-clad woman.

Velma looked over the edge of the road, towards the cliff. Daphne sneaked up behind Velma taking care to not startle her, just in case she slipped.

“The air is windy and salty. This means that all this water is more likely an ocean, not a lake. We are probably close to the cost, no more than five kilometres away I would say.” She kept looking around too, looking for any signs or tall buildings, but wherever they have landed it was more of a road in the middle of nowhere than anything.

“Shaggy, do you smell anything?” Daphne asked as she moved Velma away from the cliff.

Shaggy, over the years of cooking and gardening, developed a keen nose for all the foods and spices known to man. So much so that in one mystery he located a salt mine by himself thru smell alone. Since that day the gang began to ask Shaggy what he smelled in the air. More times than not it was really useful for them to locate themselves, sometimes even give them clues. 

You wouldn’t believe what the local food said about a place.

He stopped looking around the side of the road. Shaggy closed his eyes and straightened his back, slowly filling his lungs with the night air. The gang formed a small circle behind him, so their perfumes, cologne and shampoos would not mix with the wind. He took two more deep breaths before he opened his eyes again.

“There is, like, a restaurant up north. Like, probably a trucker stop or the first and last fast food joint before you leave a town. It’s American food that’s for sure, but it appears to have some...European influence?” he took another deep breath “Yeah, definitely European. Spain, if I’m not mistaken” another deep breath “Velma was right, like, no one eats that much fish and clams if they are not close to the coast! Do you guys know how expensive it is to import clams to non-coast cities? Man, it’s almost an arm and a half!”

Shaggy started to widely gesticulate the more into the local cuisine he got. The lanky man could go for hours just talking about preposterous food prices and the most eclectic recipes known to man (and dog) kind.

“Ok, ok, Chef Rogers, we get it” Fred hugged Shaggy from behind, giving him a small kiss in the cheek “No matter how cute it is, now is not the time to get worked up on food prices”

Shaggy let himself relax against his boyfriend’s chest, cuddling more into Fred’s warm arms, grumbling something about overpriced fish. Scooby was nodding his head in agreement saying something that sounded suspiciously like _expensive ralmon._

Velma and Daphne laughed because of how surreal it was that even the man’s dog appeared to have his broad culinary knowledge.

“Ok, so we are close to a Spanish influenced American coast town. So far so good,” Daphne brandished her arm up north, pointing towards the what she indubitably thought was going to be just another of their adventures “What you guys say that we go walking towards this road restaurant and see if we can find any more clues about where we fell on?”

“Sounds good.” Agreed Fred

“The most logical option at the moment,” said Velma

“Restaurant! Yummy, yummy, yummy!” Scooby was already licking his lips.

They all started to walk towards the promised food joint when they noticed they were one person shorter.

“Daph?” Shaggy, having left Fred’s arms, was now looking up at something with confusion and no small bit of dread.

She turned towards him, a questioning look in her blue eyes.

“What is it dear?”

“You memorized the entire roads map, didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah. And all the cities, towns and historical sites across America” she responded, not understanding where his line of thought was going.

“Where exactly is Crystal Cove?”

“WHAT?” the other three said in unison.

They turned their heads towards Shaggy, then where his eyes laid.

Above their heads was a green sign, one that they should have noticed before, read in the big white letters:

CRYSTAL COVE. 3 MILES.

They all looked at Daphne, waiting for the answer.

But her face was getting paler and paler the longer she looked at the sign. Frowning, once in concentration, them in confusion, ending in horror. Her blue eyes turned to her lovers and their dog, with her words loaded with dread.

“There is no Crystal Cove”


	2. The Bloody Stake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang finds the promised restaurant up north.  
> They were just not expecting all the vampire decor.

As Shaggy’s nose predicted, there was a restaurant waiting for them some 2,5 miles north.

What the nose _hadn’t_ predicted was the vampire theming that permeated the whole place. Fred thought that either the restaurant was some passion project of a gothic owner or the town had a vampiric and/or supernatural connection and the restaurant was reflecting that. Shaggy hoped for the first. Their luck said it was probably the latter.

They were by the roadside, a good half a mile away from the vampire-themed place. Tired after an hour of walking, combined with the exhaustion from being chased by Lovecraft’s weirdest wet dream finally setting in, they decided to just lie on some rocks in a small clearing right outside the road where they could easily see the road but not be seen in return, and take a well-deserved nap.

When they woke again, the sun had fully risen. After drinking from a cold water bottle that Shaggy had stored...somewhere… they started to think about what their next step should be.

The restaurant was just outside the town-that-should-not-be. Even from where they stood the neon lights glowing red against the sunlight were visible and still on. Already packed with early risers, the restaurant bustled with life, customers sucking the coffee maker dry as if their lives depended on it.

“It must be Monday,” Velma said, standing by Fred’s rock.

Removing the binoculars that Shaggy had produced from… somewhere… from her eyes, the short woman put herself in tip-toe, aligning them with Fred’s blue gaze. “Look on how they slouch. They are forcing themselves awake through coffee and spite”

Fred took the binoculars from her hand. Standing up from his place in his tall rock his other hand made its way across her back and in a swift move, he lifted her off the ground, and together they shared the watch.

“Yeah, normally by Tuesday your body returns to automatic pilot and you look less like a zombie” Daphne shrugged, casting a smile in their direction.

She was sitting in the grass over a picnic blanket that Shaggy brought from… somewhere. Her back was against a smaller rock with Scooby by her side, lounging in the sun.

“But still moving by spite” Fred completed, remembering the college all-nighters he powered through for weeks on end.

Shaggy, who was sitting on the rock Daphne was lining on, got to his feet and approached them. Putting his chin on Fred’s unoccupied shoulder, he asked to have a look. Fred handed the binocular to him.

“Look at them! Like, they look like they are one step away from sucker-punching each other, man.” There was a weird mix of detached fascination and familiarity in his voice. “Remember that week before the last finals? Like, I thought that I was going to be stabbed in the cafeteria when I went to get some coffee.”

“That’s what anxiety and stress do to you” Daphne decides to stand too.

The red-head decided to line herself against the lanky man’s arm, her head on his shoulder, his hand on hers. She asked with her remaining hand for the binocular. Now she and Shaggy shared the watch.

She was fascinated with the gothic decor that permeated the place. All the coffin-shaped chairs, tables and booths bathed in the red ambient light. It was all so _delightfully macabre._

Shaggy though that it was _creepy and unsettling._

While Shaggy was looking through the binocular, his remaining hand reached… somewhere… and produced another pair of binoculars that he promptly gave to Fred.

Now, together, they shared the watch.

“Man, let’s just hope that we didn’t end up in a bizarre vampire dimension of some sorts,” Shaggy shivered in discomfort. Untangling his fingers from Daphne’s, he hugged Fred from behind, snuggling his head further on his boyfriend’s neck. “The last time I thought I had been bitten by a vampire I had a whole identity crisis over it.

Putting Velma back on her feet, Fred laid one of his hands over Shaggy’s long fingers while the other ran calmly through the shaggy sandy hair.

“Don’t worry, Shag.” Fred kissed his temple “We’ll be here for you. Vampire or not.”

“Would you? I would be putting you guys in danger, man.”

There was a bet of silence. When Shaggy spoked again, none of them liked how small his voice had become.

“If that happens I should lea-”

The end of the sentence was cut short by Daphne’s well-manicured fingers. She was close to his face, nose to nose. Which made Shaggy make a double-take since Daphne was, at least, one head shorter than him so how…

That’s when he noticed she had instructed Velma to lift her. _What a way to prevent any future neck pains_ he thought amused.

“Ah, ah, ah we are NOT finishing that thought mister!” she wiggled her finger on his face giving him her best impression of a scolding girlfriend. “The day we abandon you for something as minor as vampirism is the day I go right back to that swamp to find the real old fart that must be the vampire king and marry his wrinkly ass!”

“I second that!” came Fred’s voice from his right. Giving him an Eskimo kiss, the blond man turned his head to look him in the eyes. “We’ll even donate some blood to you. As a treat.” He gave Shaggy one of his goofy smiles that only got bigger with the snort that came out of his boyfriend.

“Rod rammed, Rreddie” Scooby pinched the bridge of his nose as Shaggy’s snort dissolved into giggles. He had got up from his half nap on the sun when his ears picked his best friend’s sad tones. He was now seated by the boys’ side.

Shaking his head, Scooby turned his head to the lanky man.

“I’m not reaving rou for rothing.” Getting on his hind legs, the Great Dane licked Shaggy’s face of all sadness he could find.

The lanky chef was laughing with his hair now sticking all over the place.

“That’s right, Mister Rogers. You are stuck with us.” Velma, with Daphne still on her arms, lifted Fred, Shaggy and Scooby from the ground as if they weighed nothing and twirled them around like the most excited ballerina “Forever!”

They laughed without a worry in the world. Carefully, the sweater-clad woman returned everyone to the ground. They remained hugged to each other for a little longer. They haven’t realized how much they needed it. 

“Ok, gang. What’s the plan? We can’t just stay here and live among the rocks waiting for a new portal to appear” Velma was looking at them expectantly.

“Velma is right. Our best course of action right now is getting information.” Fred started to count on his fingers “Where we are, how we got here, and how we are going to get back.” 

Daphne took hold of his wrist and delicately added another finger to the counting before commenting “Let’s add: _Find a place to stay while we are at it_ between steps two and three, shall we?”

A muffled sound interrupted Fred’s response. He, Velma, and Daphne turned towards Shaggy and Scooby when the sound made itself known again. 

They knew that sound way too well.

Scooby approached Fred. Taking his hand on his paw he added another finger “Finding some rood”

“I second that” chuckled Shaggy.

“Ok then. Gang, it seems we are going down the _Bloody Steak_ for some clues with french fries on the side.”

“Sounds good to me, Freddie” Daphne was already collecting their things and giving them to Shaggy that was putting them away… somewhere. 

After years of knowing a person, you stop questioning in which plane of existence they keep their things, you know? You accept it and move on. Daphne was even thinking that maybe they had to add to the list of things _Go to the market_ because clearly whatever pocket dimension Shaggy kept his things was out of supplies if he hadn’t made himself a sandwich in all the time they were sited there on those rocks.

While Daphne discussed this future storage replenishment with Shaggy and Scooby, Velma was quiet, looking uncertain in the restaurant’s direction.

“I don’t know guys… What if it’s dangerous? This could be a completely different place from what we are used to” she hugged herself while her shoulders were rigid and her back was straight as a rod “I just… I just don’t like going in blind in a situation, you know.”

“Oh dear, we know how that is,” said Daphne giving Velma a sideways hug “But if we want to get to the bottom of this we must go there”

Fred and Shaggy walked slowly towards the girls. Scooby flowed them quietly.

“Daphne is right, Velm,” Fred said, a determined look on his eyes. He had a plan. “Come on Little Sun, think about it. We can stay here creeping in the bushes forever trying to solve this puzzle from the distance _or_ we can go inside and get first-hand information! You know better than me how much small-town people _love_ to gossip” he held Velma’s hand more firmly. The goofy smile was back. 

Daphne quickly caught on what he was doing. She jumped right into it.

“Yeah Honey Bee,” she said “The best way to truly learn about people is by listening to them! _And_ if they prove to be actual bloodsuckers we do as we always do”

“Rick rheir rasses?” questioned Scooby

“That’s right Scoob. We’ll kick their asses!” Daphne patted his head.

“What do you say, Sweet Pie?” said Shaggy, also jumping on the plan “We will just be a group of twenty-something tourists and their dog going into the town. And if anything does go to hell in a silver platter we just jump into your strong arms to safety” he finished with a flourish.

Fred and Daphne were smiling while Shaggy had one of his arms around her shoulders, his head now propped over hers. Velma was as red as her skirts. With her arms crossed, _clearly not pouting shut up,_ she agreed.

Cheering, the gang made their way towards the restaurant while Velma whispered under her breath something that sounded like _the manipulative use of pet names should be illegal._ Scooby giggled and softly bumped his head on her, licking her fingers. She patted him, a smile back on her lips.

And together they went into the Bloody Stake.


	3. Strangers in the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter.

Their song was playing in the jukebox.

They had, as normally as they could achieve, entered the possible vampire den. There was the expected glance from the patrons, but, surprisingly enough, it didn’t last for long. 

“Weird.” Velma was the first one to sit down. With Shaggy on her right to block the view from onlookers, she was scanning the dinner “I would expect a little more looking from small-town people”

“Maybe our polyamorous hippie vibe is so unthreatening that they just don’t feel the need to establish dominance with overbearing looks” joked Fred without removing his eyes from the window.

“Or maybe. Maybe. Our polyamorous hippie energy is SO STRONG that We establish dominance over Them. Their eyes can’t comprehend the sheer level of our love!!” Daphne fake whispered, gesticulating her hands like the most excitable conspiracy theorist

“Sounds legit,” said Shaggy, sniffing the air, Scooby sited on the floor by his side, his head laying on his best friend lap “scratch vampires from the list of cryptids these people can be, there is too much garlic on the air for that to be the case.”

“Huh” was all Velma had to say, her distrustful eyes never leaving the customers that against all reason and logic didn’t appear to care about these strange newcomers. It was as if they knew them somehow…

When she was explaining her theory with no small amount of dread in her voice the song started.

Frank Sinatra greeted them as old friends do and as if by magic, they forgot, even if for the duration of the song, about their worries.

“At least we can say that good old Frank still exists in this dimension at least” smiling softly, Velma closed her eyes, losing herself in her memories.

What kind of lovers would they be if they didn’t follow her?

It seemed so long ago when they met each other.

A Halloween night with their street decorated in oranges and purples busting with kids and adults alike.

Some of the moms of the neighbourhood decided to make a giant party, with a long table full of candy, punch, juice boxes, and an old yellow radio on the very end playing Sinatra songs.

They met by accident. Bumped into each other. Quite literally I may add.

A young artist, a future astronaut, a trap enthusiast, a blooming theatre kid. And a new pup in a desperate need of a name. 

Friends (and then lovers) at first sight.

Strangers in the night.


	4. Tapping on the table

“What are you guys doing?”

The question broke their walk down memory lane like a bullet in a quiet night. 

The vampire looking waitress was standing over them, one eyebrow up questioning, a hand in her hip and the other lazily holding the notepad. 

They held harder to each other prompting the other eyebrow to follow the first.

“Like, we are connecting, dude” Shaggy shrugged, a mask already plastered on his face. “Like, getting more in tune with each other, you know? After all, I have to trust this danger prone mystery lovers, to like, not let me die. This creates bonds stronger than blood, man”

“Rit ralso relps rif ranxiety” Scooby head emerged from under the table, causing the waitress to take a step back. The waitress chuckled softly her previously rigid posture melting away.

“Well, it is certainly a way to deal with things” she giggled, shaking her head. Getting a pen out of her dress pocket, she angled herself towards Shaggy “Yours is the biggest one Shaggy, so what is going to be?”

Quickly taking a look at the menu, Shaggy ordered a little bit of everything. While the stream of highly detailed food order was being made, the hand that was not holding Velma’s was taping the table. They collectively thanked whatever God or Goddess that could hear them for the week where Fred and Velma decided that knowing Morse code was an indispensable skill in mystery solving.

 _She knows about us_ .

 _Ok don’t panic_ was the response the purple nails had to offer. The waitress was diligently still writing down the stream of dishes and sides with the practised ease of someone that had done it a thousand times.

_What do you mean don’t panic? That’s the only thing to do when vampire looking ladies address you by name!_

_We already established that they are not vampires, love_ taped the red shoes _T_ _hat confirms my theory. These people know us, or at least a version of us_. _Jinkies, this must be a different dimension entirely for all we know._ They started a meaningless conversation over the tapping, never letting go of one another for a second. Something about a new dress in need to be bought, new books in need to be read, new ropes for traps to be built. All while the food order glowed larger by the second. 

_Well, at least we can say we are not that different from us from this reality. We talked about traps, books on corrosives, mysteries and whatnot and she is yet to accuse us of being serial killers_ the brown boots tapped their two cents. 

_Which either means she is used to us or SHE is also a serial killer_ frantically tapped the lanky man. His fingers were the only visible indicator that he was one “I’m actually a killer waitress” away from bolting out of there and running his way across the ocean. It was a real trip to find out that, if frightened enough, Shaggy could run over large bodies of water as if he was sprinting in concrete. Useful. Made Fred question if he was dating Jesus for a while, but useful not the less. Especially when inside boats without motors and a monster coming behind you. Those arms really were stronger than they looked.

His voice was, however, as stable as a rock. Order after order, it never vacillated or lost its volume. For anyone watching without knowing him and his small ticks that betrayed his nervousness, it would appear as if it was just another day in the diner making the same order he did every day.

They were really proud of how good of an actor Shaggy was.

Finally, the order was made. The waitress and the surrounding patrons didn’t even blink at the size of it. A normal part of the routine. Daphne's nails were already working in overtime the longer she stayed there, the creepier the feeling got. She may not be as good an actress as Shaggy (she still hade to convince a monster to dance the macarena after all) but her face and marble could as well be the same. She wanted a map or the book on the history of the town. Something tangible under her fingers for her to explore and dissect instead of this constant uncertainty of trying to act like your normal self in a place where your normal may as well be the farthest from the norm possible. The smile now plastered on her face was so far away from the anxiety consuming her heart that it should be carved on the moon.

Feeling her silent distress Fred squeezed her hand, a reassuring smile on his lips. He nodded towards the waitress, who had just finished her five pages long order turning towards her, an expectant look in her face.

"And you Daph? What's the order for today?"

 _Shag?_ the boots asked again while Daphne was placing her, in comparison, far smaller order. The boots owner was engaged in a discussion with the sweater-clad woman in front of him about the uses of cybernetic enhancements in a van and “How long do you think it will take for the van to gain sentience, Freddie?” "I'm not creating Skynet on my van, Velm" "Give it time" 

_Yeah?_ answered the long fingers, their owner now engaged in a conversation with their Great Dane about horror movies to watch later.

_Do you have the mystery machine with you?_

Frowning, the young chef removed his hand from the table, looking for the world as if he was going to search for something in his back pockets. After a minute of looking he removed a familiar key. Pressing the looking button, the gang collective turned their heads for the outside when the familiar beep made itself know. The daisy covered van parked on the front as if it was always there was shining on the sun, clashing phenomenally with the unicolored cars outside.

“Like, sorry Freddie. I, like, completely forgot about looking at the van” he gave the keys back to the blond, looking to the world as if he hadn’t just removed a whole car from the void. A good actor indeed.

“No problem, Shag” he took the keys, smiling while his boots worked overtime. 

_We are going to eat and act like this is just another day at the weird vampire diner. Then we are getting the hell out of here._ ****


	5. First Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back at the Mystery Machine, the reality of the situation is starting to sink in. The gang tries to adapt the best they can, but the day is truly going from weird to worse. And them back to weird again.

Making a herculean effort to not speed out of there like they were being chased by hellhounds again, Fred turned the van towards the direction of the town-that-should-not-be-feasible, putting as many miles as it was physically possible from the creepy vitamin-D deficient waitress nest. 

When they no longer could see the restaurant on the rearview they collective let out a breath of relief.

“And here I was thinking that the creepiest thing that has ever happened to us was Shaggy’s British doppelganger” Daphne reclined against her seat, one hand over her eyes, one of her maps on her lap and a GPS on her other hand, trying to pin their location.

“Hey! Like, I will have you know that Tidy is no way as creepy as whatever the hell is going down on that dinner!” Shaggy opened one of his eyes to glare at the redhead right by his side. “Willian is many things but worse than omnipresent waitress is not one of them.”

Ah yes. Willian “Tidy” Rogers was not the creepiest event on their lives but he was by far the most surreal. After all, is not every day that one of your best friends goes to a summer camp and the person that comes back is his long-lost twin brother. But that is not here or there.

Shaggy was on the back of the van in a lotus position, a crystal ball on his lap and his book of spells floating close to his head. While Velma was using one of the computers on the van to search for information on their new location, Shaggy was trying to contact his coven with little success.

“Like, its not working! Man, this makes no sense, Grand always answers my calls. It’s not Tuesday so is not date night and even if they had one spontaneous date, Minerva would have let Neko in charge of the crystal ball!” Shaggy passed his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Rould rhe be on the rarden?” Scooby stopped making his sixth sandwich giving Shaggy one of the finished ones.

“Or the graveyard?” Fred looked sheepish from his place on behind the steering wheel. 

Even after Shaggy embraced his wizard-ness back on their teenage years there were still things that the gang still haven't fully get used to.  Like daily strolls to the graveyard to get ingredients or to pass through portals and such.

Not that they cared much. Being a wizard was as much a part of Shaggy now as was his culinary prowess and they did not love in fractions. It was just another facet of their lives.

So what that their lover went into the closest liminal space that he could find every Halloween to go into the Grim Reaper Railway to join his coven of witches and comes back with his spellbook magically bigger and his pockets full of magical cookies? It was jus a part of their new normal.

“No, if she was in the graveyard Broomy would have noticed the crystal ball flashing and had gone get her.” Shaggy shrugged, half of his sandwich long gone. Fred nodded his head. He remembers Broomy. The broom may cheat on poker like nobodies business, but he was a good friend and would never just let Shaggy calls go to whatever the version of magical voice message was.

Shaggy was middle bite when the GPS went flying dangerously close to his nose followed by an infuriated growl from their shotgun. Their eyes turned towards their resident redhead who was one pull away from taking full chunks from her hair in frustration. 

“THERE IS NOTHING! THIS ENTIRE PLACE IS JUST A GREAT PILE OF NOTHING!” she threw her hands towards the ceiling just for them to fall graceless on her sides, her head hanging in defeat on the backrest. 

“Oh, Love” Fred looked at Daphne then at Scooby, who quickly got what was being asked of him and made a move towards the front seats. Taking off his seatbelt, Fred changed places with their canine friend. 

Gently cradling Daphne in his arms they seated snuggling one another.

“This place doesn’t exist, Freddie” Daphne hid even further on the blonde’s neck. “GPS is useless. It’s working on our home maps and no matter how much I try to upgrade it; the thing keeps showing me our world roads… or lack thereof”

Velma left her place in front of the computer. Approaching them she calmly took both in her arms and brought them to the back. Shaggy removed his crystal ball from his lap and crawled closer to his friends.

“What do you mean by ‘lack thereof’?” Velma was trailing her fingers thru Daphne’s red locks hopping a little closer to her girlfriend. 

“Exactly what it sounds. Crystal Cove is not in none of my maps! The GPS is showing me what should be: a bunch of trees and rock formations. There should have nothing here. No road, no dinners, no town! All my maps are telling me that the road that we are on should be a patch of forest at best or a jagged cliff at worst”

Fred, Velma and Shaggy shared a look. As one they converted towards their purple-clad lover, cuddling together.

Scooby looked at them thru the rearview mirror with worried eyes. The day was going from weird to worst fast. The reality was starting to set in for the young historian and the overwhelming lack of concrete facts to anchor herself was getting to her.

Whoever was responsible for sending them here was going to get their ass bitten, that Scooby promised. He hated seeing his humans in such distress. 

Fred kissed Daphne forehead “That’s ok, love. Tell you what, when we arrive at the town we are going to get you all the maps that they have available.”

Daphne sniffed softly “Even the geological maps?”

“Especially the geological maps” Velma gently arranged one of the red locks behind the other girl ear than kissed her temple.

Shaggy took one of the young historian hands giving it a small kiss. “If you want, I can try to magically upgrade the map”

Daphne perked up immediately, her eyes twinkling “Really?”

“Really” he squeezed her hands once more before moving towards the front seat. 

Taking the advantage of his lanky body he perked half of it over the seat division. Opening the glove compartment, he removed one of the many purple-marked maps from its neat place under the nail polishes. While he was folding his body back to the back of the van (not after giving their driver a well-deserved pat), Fred had passed Daphne to Velma all the while the redhead giggled over the ease off with they passed her to each other like she weighed the same as a pillow.

Fred and Velma smiled over her head. They hated seeing her distressed in any way. The situation was going to get to them all eventually and Daphne being the first was no surprise to them. After all what was worst to a young amateur historian and archaeologist than removing all the information in where she thrives from under her feet?

Fully back, Shaggy approached one of the many compartments that Fred added over the years. Removing an assortment of colourful bottles from there, he quickly mixed them together with precision and efficiency. When he finished the resulting concoction was bright purple, emitting a soft glow.

“Purple potion for my purple lady” he offered the bottle and the map to the Daphne, a soft smile in his face “Like, just drop it into the map. It will mix with the air from this place and will update the missing roads and locations”

Daphne’s smile could outshine the sun. Like a blur, the redhead bear-hugged the lanky man hard enough to hear clear pops from his spine.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” holding his face in her hands she gave the young chef a long kiss. Shaggy melted, his fingers entangling themselves on the red mane. Slowly they untangled themselves from each other and, together, they started the process of magically upgrading the map.

Meanwhile, Fred and Velma had smiled at their artistic lovers letting a sigh of relief. 

“Who do you think is going to be the next one to snap?” Velma said as quietly as she could, turning back to the computer.

“From the way things are going? Me, probably” Fred shrugged, “Found anything on the internet or is it not working as the GPS?”

“Ah no. no, no, no. You are not changing the subject on me now mister, what do you mean you are the next?” She turned to him, a disbelieving looks in her face.

“Can’t you feel it, Honey Bee?” He turned his head slowly towards her with a wide deranged smile, his eyes large “I’m on the limit.” Raising his hand, his thumb and forefinger dangerously close from touching “I’m this close to going absolutely ape”

She smiles at him “Oh, Love. We all are”

They giggled together. If it sounded slightly like it was going to soon turn into a crazy laugh they didn't dwell on it.

“Uh, Ruys…” Scooby turned his head slightly towards them, confusion lacing his voice.

“What is it, Scooby?” Fred moved slightly towards the front seats, Velma just behind.

The Great Dane didn’t remove his eyes front the road. Just ahead of them was a blob of movement, a car, coming in the opposite lane. It was a van. It looked an awful lot like…

“It’s that the mystery machine?” Daphne said with a voice laced in disbelief.

It was a fraction of a second. Just enough for both vans to align. Just enough for both drivers to get a good look at each other.

Scooby would have lied if he said that looking at the driver didn’t give him a small bound of nostalgia.

It has been years seen he saw Fred that young.


	6. Fred on Fred. The Many Faces of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Mystery Machines and two Freds to boost. Just add it to the list of "Things that we are going to get used to".

Fred felt like he was in the Twilight Zone.

They were once again on the side of the road. The vans were parked side by side, the tire marks of when they nearly crashed against each other painting the street. 

He was suddenly really glad he was not the one driving. If it was his twenty-eight old ass looking directly at his seventeen-year-old baby-face he would have launched the car off the cliff and killed everybody. Daphne would have never let him live that one out. 

Said seventeen-year-old clone was looking blankly at them. It was freaking him out a little. Either young him was better at poker than he remembered or- 

No. Nononono. He was not even going to  _ think  _ about that possibility. Nope.

He thanked whichever gods were listening that it was only young him on the van. He didn’t think that a full gang meet up would do any good for their already on edge nerves.

“So… I believe there is a logical explanation for this” Velma was fiddling in place, a nervous look in her face. The pieces for what the hell was going on were falling in place but the picture they are making was getting exponentially more aggravating the more she looked at Fred’s young face. Even the ascot looked new. 

They had all come out of their respective vans, Daphne being the only that was technically inside since she remained on her seat, only her feet on the outside with her door wild open. Fred and Velma were side by side while Scooby was standing next to Daphne's legs enjoying a nice head scratch from purple nails. Shaggy, the showoff, had swiftly made his way to the roof of their van by climbing one of the nearby trees. Joung Fred, however, stood there next to his open door. Alone.

“God, did I really have such a babyface?” Fred looked unblinking at the young clone of himself, one hand absently stroking his chin, probably remembering the days where his face was smoother and the ‘I’m going to grow a beard’ phase haven't crossed his mind yet. 

“Yeah. Yeah, you did. 100% infant with an ascot” Daphne shrugged, a smug look on her face. Fred gave her a side glance. 

“What do you mean by ‘Did have’? Who are you people and why you have my face?” the younger Fred said, apprehensive. The young man was with his back straight as a rod, one foot towards them and the other towards his van, one breath away from dashing back to the stirring wheel and hightail the hell out of there. 

At least Fred was somehow relieved that this younger version of himself was not trusting them immediately. He would be really worried if any version of him didn’t immediately think that twenty-eight-years-old doppelgängers weren’t a highly convincing masked crook. Not with their chosen career. 

“Hey look, this is making as much sense to you as is making to us right now. For all we know you are nothing more than a bunch of pixels and we are stuck again in that computer simulation,” he said softly like he was trying to calm a wounded animal.

Younger Fred blinked startled. “…What are you talking about?”

“Oh, he is talking about that one time with the baseball virus- “ Daphne started to explain, just to Velma to swiftly put a hand on her mouth, purple lipstick be dammed. 

“That is not relevant now! Look, Fred – I’m assuming your name is also Fred?” a nod of agreement. “Ok good. So, Fred, for what I could take out of this, the facts appear to be pointing at-” but before Velma could finish her phrase, young Fred was already taking a step back towards his own van, his face confuse and even a little frightened.

“What facts? What’s going on in here? All I know is that I went out to get my Dad’s coffee and there were you guys coming on the opposite direction…” his eyes suddenly got a glimmer over them, a tentative smile blooming on his handsome face “Is this a trap?”

“God, I wish” Fred sigh. It would be so simple if it was. “Can you imagine? It would be a weird implementation of the Borden method”

Younger Fred assumed a pensive look.

“No, I think it’s more off an Angier method since you are more my clone than my twin brother.” Said young Fred, one hand over his chin, the other pointing towards Older Fred face, seeing the marks of the added years into his counterpart visage. 

“Well, yeah. But I’m not launching you on a tank of water. I just arrived here, I won’t know where to get one.” He gave his younger self a once over, making a quick calculation “To be honest if you, I was more likely to use the Deckard method on you than anything else.”

“Dude, if you can barely find yourself a human-size tank of water, what are the chances of you finding the holograms for that one to work?” Asked the younger Jones but with a glimmer of joy in his blue eyes, the previous confusion and fright seemingly forgotten.

“You talk like I can’t improvise. What kind of amateur do you take me for? And also, do you believe that I don’t have back up holograms on the mystery machine?” Fred, the old, arched one of his eyebrows, a smirk on his face with his arms crossed, his chest puffed in pride of his trap making abilities.

Meanwhile, the gang was watching speechless the back in forth between them as if it was a tennis match. Daphne was especially interested in the overwhelming joy radiating from their lover young counterpart. Didn’t the rest of his gang talk about traps with him? He looked like it was the first time that he could share his interests with someone.

“Well gang, I can say with 99,9% certainty that this is a certified Fred.” Velma declared, both her hands on her hips and her lips pursed in mock awe.

Daphne fake punched her arm, a smile in her face. “Shush, don’t interrupt them. Fred is bonding.”

Both Freds turned towards them after that exchange, remembering they were not alone on that side of the road. Turning their heads back to each other, they started laughing, doubling over when their lungs started lacking air. It was a contagious laugh. Fred laugh was just like that. With two of them, the effect was duplicated so it was no surprise when everyone ended up joining in. 

After some time, when they got their breath back, young Fred held out his hand 

“I’m Fred Jones, nice to meetcha”

Taking it as the peace offering it was, Older Fred took the hand giving it a vigorous shake.

“Hi, Fred Jones. I’m Fred Jones” he snickered “And this colourful bunch behind me is” he waved his remaining hand on their direction. 

“Daphne Blake” the redhead waved. 

“Velma Dinkley” Velma fixed the red-trimmed glasses in her face. 

“Norville Rogers” he pointed to the lanky man seated on the roof of the van. 

“Call me Shaggy” he reclined more on the roof enjoying the morning sun.

“and last but not least: Scoobert Doo. Our beloved Scooby-Doo,” he glances back at young him, a knowing smirk on his lips “But you know that already, don’t you?”

Scooby approached the young Fred. Scooby held up his paw that young Fred took without hesitation.

“Rice to reet you ragain, Rreedie” 

“Nice to meet you again Scooby” he smiled at the Great Dane, with earned him a face full of dog kisses unleashing a stream of laughter from his chest. 

“So, like, I take from that we, like, do exist here in this world, right? It’s not just you?” Shaggy asked, jumping from the roof, going towards the laughing teenager who was now on the ground, removing the more than 100 pounds of dog-friend from him. 

The young man remained on the ground, one arm over his eyes, whizzing like a dying frog. Panting between the still bubbling laughter, young Fred calmed down slowly. Seeing that the young version of Fred was not going to get up so soon, they joined him on the ground. 

Laying on the grass with their heads close, looking at the sky they could easily convince themselves that it was just another day in their lives. One of their moments’ in-between cases, stopping in the middle of nowhere, looking at the clouds. If only. 

“Ok, so what is happening here? is it time travel? Interdimensional time travel?” came the calm question. They side glanced the seventeen-year-old boy in their midst than each other. Shaggy than turned his head to the boy at his right, a smirk on his lips.

“Like, the mystery machine had many upgrades over the years but a flux capacitor was not one of them, man” 

Shaggy could feel the hole that Velma was opening on the side of his head with her glare. He was already hearing her voice in the back of his mind saying ‘now is not the time for jests, you absolutely reprehensible man’. 

“What Shaggy is trying to say is that, from the moment we arrive at this place, nothing here has been remotely familiar to us. But the few people that we interacted with seemed to know us on a personal level” Daphne tried to circumvent the tension that Velma’s glare was bringing to their small space of side road with a more thought out explanation. 

Too bad Shaggy fear of death, always present since the moment he was exposed to the world outside Mrs Rogers womb, was left inside the van because instead of shutting his cakehole and avoiding death: persuaded by Velma he said: 

“Like, that is in no way what I was saying- “

“Yes, it was,” Daphne said between her teeth, trying once again to avoid seeing Velma yeet Shaggy into the ocean.

“Nu huh”

“Yun huh”

“Nu huh”

“Yun huh”

“Ignore them, they are five years old,” Fred said, hugging Velma in hopes of changing the course of the conversation and diminishing the death glare. It appeared to be working. Not before Velma smacking the back of the young chefs head, of course.

“HEY!” came two indignant yells, Shaggy appearing more offended at the five-year-old commentary than the smack.

Scooby, face-palming himself, turned to his left and put his paws on both of the young man shoulders (that were trembling from suppressed giggles. At least he was founding their weird dynamic entertaining) and looked him directly in the eyes.

“Rook, Rreddie we come from a rlace ralled Roolsville.  Rhere is no Rristal Rove any rhere” he said, hoping that a more direct approach was what they needed at the moment.

There was a beat of silence. Fred, the younger, was looking at Scooby like he had grown a second head. He looked around, seeing all those faces that were so familiar and at the same time so different. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. 

“…Please tell me that I understood him wrong and that you guys don’t come from a place called Roolsville.” he pleaded, for the sake of his sanity, that he had misheard the entire thing.

Another prolonged silence.

“You did understand him wrong,” Velma said.

“Oh, that’s a relief-“

“Its actually Coolsville. A town in Ohio”

He blinked slowly. Looking at Velma’s eyes, he pinched himself. When nothing happened, Fred, the youngest started shaking his head in disbelieve.

“…Ohio?”

“Yeah, I know, not ideal. But it’s home so we make the best of it” Shaggy head said from its new location over Daphne’s belly, her hands carting through his hair. 

They noticed that young Fred was completely indifferent to their position. Good news, then. His gang at least was the bunch of cuddly bugs that they were. 

“It has been a while since we went back home, come to think of it” Daphne mused, French braiding the shaggy hair under fingers.

“We cleared most of the mysteries there, anyway. I think the crooks in our universe may be a bunch of idiots but they are not stupid.” Velma added, snuggling closer to older Fred, Scooby laying over their legs.

“Yeah, to attack the home town of international mystery solvers is the peak of dumb moves” Fred, the ancient, theorized. His lovers nodded. Yeah, that makes sense. 

“International?” the small voice got them by surprise. They turned once again to Fred, the infant, laying there spread eagle looking into the sky like he was expecting the heavens to open up and the Archangel Gabriel to come and announce the second coming of Crist.

Older Fred’s face softened. He was suddenly faced with his counterpart age. At age seventeen he could barely imagine how his life was going to go, much least its outcome. Mystery solving had been a childhood passion, but no one, much less himself, could have imagined how much it would grow. Little him probably had his entire world scale vastly amplified in just a fraction of a second.

The possibilities must look so much vaster for him now.

“You betcha, Little Me. Samurai ghosts in Japan, an army of mummies in Egypt,” he said softly, looking at his own young eyes “Hell, is not even international any more. Not after that case on the moon base.”

“Interplanetary mystery solvers, baby!” crooned Daphne receiving the softest cheers from Velma and Shaggy. Scooby let out a melodic howl. Older Fred was pleased that they were all in the same wavelength. That this moment was earth-shattering to his younger self, it deserves a careful approach. 

“…Interplanetary mysteries… Interplanetary traps.” Fred, the younger, eyes were sparkling, thinking about all the new plans, terrains to explore and exploit for hiding places, exotic ropes and knots techniques. He was practically vibrating.

The gang laughed good-heartedly. Yup. This was now a 100% certified Fred, no doubt about it. 

One by one they got up, Older Fred helping his dreamer self from the ground. The young man was still light years away from them, his eyes big and full of ideas, a goofy smile on his face.

Older Fred giggled and, patting his younger self’s back, he said:

“Oh yeah, all the interplanetary traps. I even made my own traps! Patents and all.”

“What, really???” If the boy was vibrating before, now he was almost phasing out of the dimension altogether. His smile was so bright that it could bring sight back for a born blind man seven times over. It made a mirror smile bloom in his own face.

“Yeah, man. The Jones method for trapping masked criminals.” He looked at the excited boy, who was smiling as if the government had decided that the Leap Year date was replaced and instead of the 29 th of February they added the 32 th of October: Halloween, Part 2, and fell in his heart the same tug of longing that he felt looking at any children of the places that they visited. 

They had talked about it. They joked at the dead of the night. It was too soon, they know. But what was so bad in speculation? Thinking about how many. Who was going to carry it? Should they give adoption a shot? Should they give magical baby incubation a thought? That was one of Daphne’s favourite ideas yet. She was mesmerised by the idea of a baby growing on a cabbage (from what Gran had told them it could be any plant really. The popular now was pumpkins and peaches surprisingly enough). Mashing last names together in hopes that their hypothetical children would have a nice-sounding one was a nice pastime when stuck in the road for hours. 

Blake-Dinkley-Roger-Jones was the one with the best ring to it, they had decided one drunk night in Paris, perched on the Eiffel Tower balcony disregarding gravity and death (such was the power of wine) then getting away from the edge to waltz to non-existing music, smiling with glee.

They changed the order again the very next morning. What was the fun in sticking to any order anyway?

Shaking his head away from the warm memory, Older Fred passed his arm over his younger self shoulders, noticing that he was, at least, one head taller than him.

Oh, yeah. The second grown spur. He spent an entire year of college getting used to his way longer limbs all over again.

“Tell you what: We go to this Crystal Cove town together and I tell you all about it.”

Younger Fred looked up at him.

“…Will you?” his voice was small. Why was his voice so small?

“Yeah.” There was a sudden felling on his belly. He didn’t like it. He didn’t know what it was but something suddenly was felling off. Why was his voice so small? “We can even try to make a new one together” he suggested, ignoring the felling for now. Maybe it was nothing. It was probably nothing. Maybe.

Little him lighted up like a tree on Christmas, nodding his head so hard he was afraid it was going to roll right of his shoulders.

“Everything is nice, everything is great, but don’t you guys think is going to be a  _ little _ of an eyesore, not one both TWO mystery machines parading down the street?” asked Daphne, her voice coming from the middle of the clearing where both vans were parallel parked next to each other, breaking the moment. 

“Yeah, that would be a sight to see” Velma grimaced.

“Dude, ‘sight to see’? That amount of groovy energy is going to obliterate people on impact” Shaggy and Scooby were looking at both vans with calculating eyes, as if they were questioning if such a thing was possible. 

With the way their lives are going so far? It was possible.

“Well, we have two options right now. Option A: Keep it quiet for now. Once we acclimate to the town and the people acclimate to us because let’s face it, trying to keep our existence a secret is going to backfire phenomenally on our asses and cause more trouble than it is worth it.” Velma said, her ‘I’m planning’ pose in full display.

“Option B is:” came the voice from the back from one of the vans. Suddenly, Daphne kicked the backdoors wild open shouting “HELLOOOOO CRYSTAL COVE!!! GET READY FOR TROUBLE AND MAKE IT DOUBLE!!! MYSTERY INCORPORATED IS NOW COMING TWICE AS STRONG!!!” she struck a pose, Shaggy and Scooby throwing confetti over her head while Fred made fake sounds of trumpets. They dissolved in giggles afterwards.

Velma groaned, one hand over her eyes the other holding her glasses. 

“One day. One day I swear I’m going to kill you guys in your sleep”

“We love you too” were the four answers that she received.

Fred, the infant, smile at the scene. He hoped that his gang would turn up like this one someday soon. The cuddling also seemed comfortable and fun, he should ask his gang what they thought about start doing that. 

“Ok, what if we did like this: Since I know the place better than you guys I can show you the clearings and caves that we can hide the van and we can go from there.”

“That sounds good but now the question is: which van?” Daphne asked, one hand up pointing from one van to the other. 

There was silence. The Freds were suddenly looking at each other in the eye trying to glare the other into submission. It was clear that neither of them would give up their four-wheeled babies. 

The glare was intensifying. Slowly they started circling each other as if they were in an old western. The atmosphere seemed to change. Mirroring frowns faced each other with murderous intent. They appeared to want to start growling. Nothing good was coming out of this.

That’s why Shaggy put himself on the middle of the Fred circle before any words could be said and newborn friendships dashed. “Ok, ok, ok. None of that! What if, instead of choosing between vans we, like, fuse them? Would that be good? Would you dudes chill?” he raised one arm to each of them, looking like he was trying to convince hungry reptiles from eating each other.

“And how would we do that?” Younger Fred asked, not as much perplexed as they expected and more on the side of curious, but his eyes never left his perceived threat. 

“Like this, dude.” Shaggy smiled at them, straightening his back. He snapped his fingers. 

Both vans dissolved into shapes of light. They stayed floating in place for a fraction of a second then, faster than bullets, they flew over their shoulders creating a wind strong enough to nearly throw them all over the trees. Fred took hold of his younger self arm while Velma grabbed the back of his jacket with on hand, Daphne with Scooby on her back with the other, digging her heels in the ground with practised ease. Shaggy seemed surprisingly unaffected by the gale. The light orbs circulated one another in beautiful arcs of colour to them merge behind Shaggy’s back in what looked like a mini supernova. They watched the display unfold in front of them speechless. The gang with amazement that the years could not diminish and the new young member with awe, trying with all his might to understand what was happening before his eyes.

It was finished just as soon as it had begun. Behind Shaggy, the new mystery machine laid there, matching her previous look but at the same time not. 

For an outsider, the van was just the same as it was before.

But they knew better.

The Mystery Machine 3.0 was, from the outside, a perfect mix of both vans with some key differences making this MM her own.  She had the sliding doors of the other dimension gang van, a feature that was not present on the younger Fred version. Getting closer, putting their hands over the warm metal, they noticed that the paint job remained the same but the green was lighter than before and the daises were particularly bright orange.  The van had incorporated the backside door from the younger man's van as well. But the inside…

“Like, I hope that you guys don’t mind that I, like, added some things in it,” said Shaggy, smiling with his hands in his pockets.

They were all in the back door looking in. They turned their disbelieving faces towards the lanky man standing behind them looking proud. 

“…Its larger in the inside?” young Fred asked uncertainly of what his eyes were seeing.

“Not by much. I, like, made the whole van a little bit larger that’s true, but the inside is just a little bigger than it was before. Now” he passed them and got inside, laying with his arms crossed behind his head on the brand new sofa perched on the left side of the van “I can lay down back here without having to contract my whole body like a slinky.”

“Well, that your own fault for being a giraffe” Velma laughed going in as well. “Did you upgraded my lab?”

“You know it, honey bee” came the lay back answer.

She clicked one of the small buttons on the opposite wall to the sofa. The upper half of the wall folded back, pushing forward a small table full of beakers, flasks and chemicals. The new wall that came forward had a screen in it, a corkboard full of pictures, calculations and trap anagrams, and a built-in magnifying glass lamp. She seated in a small wheeled stool that unfolded itself from a space that opened in the floor. Ok. Not only is the van larger, but it also has pocket dimensions. He can dig it. 

“I thought that only dentist had one of these…” younger Fred said in amazement joining them in the back as well, touching the magnifying lamp. He was looking around like a kid in the candy shop, looking at the upper wall over the sofa that also had some buttons of their own and he would be lying to himself if he said he was not curious to discover what that wall had to hide “Did you add these tech things or…”

“Nope. Most of them were, like, already here. I just added the chemicals Velma was talking about some weeks ago and the magnifying glass. The rest? I’m not the only one that can make things out of nothing, little dude,” said Shaggy, untangling his arm from the back of his head and pointed towards ancient Fred, who had moved while they talked and was now seated behind the steering wheel. He turned around when he felt eyes on his back, seeing his younger self looking at him, clearly taking that as a confirmation that he could also make vans fuse with his will alone.

“Noooooooo. That’s not true.” He smiled at his lounging boyfriend, then he turned his gaze to his now deflated counterpart “I need duct tape first.”

His gang laughed while younger him wiggled closer to him sitting on the bean bag lying next to the front seat, his eyes shining with that new piece information, crossing his arms in the seatback, resting his head over them. Scooby got inside and closed the door behind him while Daphne went and assumed her place at the shotgun. Fred started the van and turned towards their original destination.

“Do all of you guys have powers or something?” asked the teenager, looking at all of them with new eyes.

“Or romething” said Scooby building momentum in his hind legs for a leap.

“Oh no. No, no, no, nononono” Shaggy hoisted his torso up, waving his hands frantically in front of him to no vail.

Like a bolt, Scooby jumped over his owner sending both rolling into the ground. After licking the lanky man face thoroughly through his laughter and the stream of ‘Down, boy, down!’, the Great Dane jumped to the now vacant seat and made himself comfortable.

“Scooby, you cheater that cheats” Shaggy gave his friend the stinky eye but his smile made it lose its effect. Scooby flashed him his tongue them got even comfier. Throwing his arm over his eyes, the lanky man groaned 

“I swear to god, I’m cutting your soda supply. Too much caffeine in your system. There is no way that you have all that energy stored in that furry butt of yours”

The van occupants bubbled with giggles. Velma turned to the younger of then.

“Let us add the explanations of what we can and can’t do for when both the gangs are together. These are, as a whole, pretty long stories. It’s going to be easier to say it in one go instead of repeating it multiple times.” A sudden thought came to her mind. She added, “I take that you guys still live with your parents since you mentioned your dad early, so we are going already to say it twice unless you think that we should tell with your guys' parents present…”

“Nah, tell the gang first. It will be easier that way.” He let out a small chuckle “I can already see my dad trying to find a way to turn this into…” he trailed off, a thoughtful look in his face as if he was remembering something. Out of nowhere, he jumped in alarm hitting his head in the sealing. Ancient Fred hit the brake and turned his torso around to have a better look on his younger face, a concern morphing his handsome face.

“What is it, Little me?” 

“I FORGOT MY FATHERS COFFEE” Young Fred had both hands in his head, a panicked look in his blue eyes.

“Ah, shit” the unison answer made the young man smile through his panic. 

Turning the van around in a hurry, older Fred was quick to reassure young him.

“No worries, Little me. Here is the plan: we go back there, you give me the order, I go get the coffee since they would find weird for you to change clothes between the five minutes that we were there and then we go find your dad, how is that?”

The young man let a sigh of relief “Thanks, Big me.”

Fred smiled at the nickname, feeling warm. And Daphne had to go and ruin the moment.

“Awwww. They are so cute, they already have nicknames for each other” she giggled and cooed at them.

“Shut up, Daph” both of them turned to her, with just made she giggle harder.

“They are talking together now” Velma joined, hiding her lab after checking it one last time to see if it was all in order.“So cute”

“Adorable.” Came the observation from the floor.  Shaggy laying sideways, one hand holding his head upwards, while the other was loosely over his hip was looking at young Fred with a smirk. He winked a feel seconds later, just to reassure the young man that they were just messing with both of them.

Scooby snickered behind him. “Rovely”

“What is this? ‘Bully Fred day’???” Older Fred asked, giving Daphne a side glare while simultaneously trying to glare at the backseat passengers through the rearview mirror. It was doing funny things to his face.

“Yeah!” was the answer he got while young Fred was looking at his older self-face with concerned, his “Dude, is your face supposed to do that?” was almost drowned on the laughter.

“Nah, he’s fine, little dude.” Shaggy stretched until his hand was in ruffling hair height. 

“Hey, do you know how long it takes to get it in place?” Fred, the younger, was battling the hand away.

“Of course, we do. We live with the geriatric version of you” Velma shrugged.

“Velma, I’m 28!” He said with fake anger “You’re just three years younger than me!” 

“Irrelevant.” She turned her head sticking up her nose mockingly, one hand pointing skyward.

And so, the journey back to the Blood Stake went like that for the entire trip until they parked once again in front of the red light building. Once there, it was a quick go in, ‘I FORGOT MY DAD’S COFFEE’, comprehensive looks from the onlookers, and go out. 

Once back inside the van, Fred, the ancient, turned back around and once again they headed towards the town.

“Okie Dokie, now where to, Little Freddie?” Daphne asked, looking at the teenager expectantly, ready to absorb any road knowledge that he could give her.

“Ok. Once we reach the beginning of the city, you’re going to see the arch with the town’s name. From there you go straight. When you see the Fruitmeir’s turn right and then left. You turn left again on the blue house on the corner; the city hall is the biggest building on the right side.”

“City hall? That’s a new one. Does our version of dad work there?” Older Fred looked at younger Fred in the rearview mirror, the question written in his eyes.

The younger man looked at him for a moment, like he was not expecting that answer from him. He shrugged in acceptance not long after because, you know, different dimension him, different dimension dad. He could ask older him for what his dad did later. 

Noticing the silence, the young man notices that he hadn’t answered yet. Ops. 

“Sorry, thinking a little too hard there for a moment,” he said shaking his head.

“Comprehensible, love.” Assured Velma, putting one hand on Fred, the younger, shoulder giving it a small squeeze. “Happens with all of us from time to time”

“Mostly in the shower,” said Shaggy.

“Especially in the shower” added Daphne with a faraway look.

Younger Fred laughed. He couldn’t wait for both gangs to meet. He could already tell they are going to be fast friends.

“Yeah, my dad works in the city hall.” He giggled, snuggling his head further into his arms “He is the mayor after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a long one!  
> I really liked writing this one.  
> Just tell me if the characterization seems off for SDMI season one Fred for me, please?  
> It has been a while since I watched the series and right now it's just my own version of Fred that is living in my head rent-free so SDMI Fred memories are kinda scarce outside major plot-relevant events.  
> ... i have to go back and binge all of it, don't I? Yaaaaay quarentine scooby marathon!!!! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this one! s2 s2 s2


	7. At the steps of the City Hall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they wait for Fred the younger's return from his coffee affairs, the gangs ponder on how to act from now on this strange new world. Decisions are made with tired brains, Daphne's braids some hair, Shaggy needs a hair cut eventually, Ancient Fred and Velma frets and Scooby is the current bearer of the gang's brain cell.

“We are here!” Younger Fred said. 

_ Here,  _ is a large white Spanish style building with red roofs were the front wall read  _ City Hall  _ in big brass letters. 

The trip over here was mundane. It was a nice town, composed of small buildings, built like a picturesque Spanish village. Most buildings were painted either a soft cream or vibrant welcoming colours. If it wasn’t for the “Most haunted place on earth” sigh at the beginning of the town they would have happily stayed there relaxing a little and taking their sweet time researching until they found a way to go home.  __

“I will go inside. You guys wait for me here?” Young Fred was already outside the van. He had the coffee holder in one hand, one foot on the steps of the building.

“You got it, Little Me.” Older Fred gave him a thumbs up. The gang made their way outside moving towards the young man who by now had walked up the steps, looking at them expectantly. 

“Ok, be right back” he waved at them as he went inside.

“He’s such a cutie,” Daphne said when young Fred was no longer on hearing range. “Remember when we used to be his age?”

Fred and Velma sat down on the third step, leaning against each other. Scooby laid on the sidewalk by their feet while Daphne and Shaggy perched themselves on the stone bannister. They took a deep, long breath, taking in the sea air into their lungs.

It was indeed a beautiful town.

“Like, bold of you to assume I remember anything at any point in time” Shaggy turned his head lazily towards his girlfriend.

“What you had for breakfast yesterday?” Velma’s left eyebrow disappeared under her bangs.

“That’s, like, different and you know it” Shaggy pointed his finger at the sweater-clad woman. 

“Rood is unforgettable,” Scooby added from the ground.

They chuckled, a soothing silence fell over them. Scooby made himself comfortable, his head on Velma’s lap with Fred scratching behind his ears. Daphne turned Shaggy’s back to her and resumed braiding his hair. It was past his shoulders again, she noticed. They would have to decide what style they were going to cut it this time.

“What are we going to tell his gang, man?” Shaggy asked, looking at the street while Daphne’s fingers carted through his scalp.

“What do you mean?” Daphne asked, halfway through a five-strand braid.

“Well, are we going to tell, like, everything to them?  _ Everything? _ ”

“I don’t see why not, it’s not like we have been the face of secrecy with him, you know,” Fred said, gesturing with his one remaining hand as the other was occupied turning Scooby into goo. 

“Dude, I ain't talking about the powers and college degrees, that is a different can of worms, I’m talking about us.” Shaggy also started gesturing with his hands, pointing them towards his chest at the end of that particular statement.

“Us?” Fred was confused until Shaggy took his hand, a meaningful look on his hazel eyes. 

“Us.”

“But Shaggy, what would be so bad if they knew about our relationship? For all we know, they may be right in the path of starting their own version of it.” Daphne questioned, undoing the five strand braid and starting a french one.

“And that is the problem. We don’t know anything about them. They may be us, but, like, not really us. Maybe nothing goes as they did back home. Then we parade into their lives, like, without knock or warning…”

“And you are afraid that we may accidentally start influencing their decisions or something.” Fred completed, his eyes wild when the information dawned on him.

Velma sprung to her feet, pacing furiously in front of them, her serious face on. “Jinkies, Shaggy is right! At that age, the world was new to us. If an older version of me had appeared to my fifteen old self and told me about my future, I would use all of it as a guideline.”

“But we are not even their future selves, we are from a different dimension altogether. Our lives were shaped by entirely different circumstances.” Daphne contra argued, finishing the french braid carefully to not pull Shaggy’s hair too much. 

“It won’t matter. They will see in us models to follow, versions of ‘what could’ or ‘should be’.” Velma sat down once again, both hands under her chin.

“But Shaggy, if you had all these concerns, why didn’t you stop us from talking about our cases? Why expose him to your magic?” Fred asked, looking at his boyfriend expectantly.

“Because these types of things are, like, manageable on the long run, man” Shaggy rubbed his face “Dude, there is a difference between ‘things that I may do when I’m older’ and ‘My future relationship status’. What if we tell them we are together and then they, like, I don’t know, try to force it to happen between them? We,” he pointed to all of them “Clicked together after years of knowing each other, and like, late-night star seeing, but for them? I don’t know where their destiny was going to send them, man. Maybe they end up together. Maybe they would pass the rest of their lives in a harmonious platonic relationship. Maybe they will find love outside of the gang, I don’t know. We could inadvertently cause a sea of heartache.” 

Silence fell between them. Fred had to admit that he hadn’t thought about it like that. Daphne hugged Shaggy from behind, her chin on his shoulder, pushing the now made french braid over the other.

“So you think we may cause them harm just by being here?”

Shaggy shrugged “That’s the thing: I don’t know. Not for sure. That’s the problem with interdimensional magic, the rules aren’t as clear cut as, like, time travel ones.” he groaned, resting his head against Daphne’s “Dude, I hate interdimensional magic. This shit is, like, way trickier than it has any right to be.”

Velma put her finger over her chin. After a minute of silence, she turned towards the gang “I think I get it. In time travel, everything you do affects you personally because you are meddling with your timeline. But once you start interacting with a different dimension you-“

“Your timeline is no longer in the equation.” Daphne completed.

“Exactly, but we are still present in a sense, so our actions will affect the world none less.”

“Just with zero consequences to us.” Fred laid lack on the steps of the city hall entrance, dissociating after such a bomb was thrown in his lap.

“So, we could tell this younger gang about our relationship and then go back to our dimension unaffected…” Daphne turned her body away from the bannister, no longer using it as a seat but as a support. Her arms crossed and her face contorted into a frown as she looked at Fred on the ground.

“But live behind a gang that may not be compatible romantically with each other trying to force themselves together and end up with a nice bucked off emotional issues” Shaggy also turned towards the gang, but remained seated on the bannister in a lotus position.

Daphne covered her face with both hands, her voice muffled “God, I hated having this kind of discussions in Philosophy class, applying them to real-life doesn’t make them better.” 

“Well, we have left the room of hypotheses and entered headfirst in an actual ‘non-consequences free’ zone, so is bound to suck harder now. Be glad that you are not being graded by this particular dive into madness.” Velma smirked at the purple-clad girl who threw one of her patented glares.

“Thank you, Velma, for your kind words.”

“I’m here to serve” she mockingly bowed.

They laughed over the girls’ shenanigans. They were giggly since they arrived in this weird new world and they sure hoped it was no psychological effect of being so unceremoniously launched into the unknown. They, still laughing, set all in the steps of the city hall, side by side. Scooby was giving them worried looks. Not a good sight.

“So, what do you guys suggest we tell them?” Daphne was the first one to sober up from the laughing fit, cleaning the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“What they ask of us. Our best tactic now is to not lie. Lies have short legs and can easily trip” Fred said, rubbing his hands over his eyes. 

“Especially when you are lying to a bunch of junior detectives.” Added Velma.

“Exactly, so if they ask about something that we deem reality shattering we tell half of the truth or we find a way to change the subject until we figure out if the information could or not have lasting effects. That way we would not be technically lying to them and at the same time we avert any emotional fallout.” Fred had a faraway look in his eyes, probably thinking about all the topics that he simply didn't want to touch again even with a ten feet long pole. 

This dimension Jones Sr. better not be a masked villain too or he was going to deck him in the face. 

“…When I had that one dream about becoming one of the faes, these were not the circumstances that I thought it would go down.” Daphne had a disbelieving look on her face, looking at her back as if she was expecting a pair of wings to sprout from there.

“I, like, will have to explain the magic, even if not all of it. Even if I erased his memory of the van merging -with by the way I will not do- magic always finds a way of being discovered. It’s, like, better we explain to them now instead of them finding out later by other means.” Shaggy said, remembering that one memorie in Salem where he and Daphne were accused of witchcraft. He was partially offended that the thing that put her in the stake by his side was not any magical prowess on her part and it was more in the line of “Adult Woman With Opinions Are The Devil”.

“Yeah, you said something about mind magic being volatile” Velma turned to him, always curious about magic and its applications and side effects. She was dead set in proving that magic was just another form of science, albeit more flashy. Shaggy thought that if anyone was going to prove that would be the small woman. 

“It’s like magical brain surgery. Like, one wrong move and I give the boy an aneurysm. This kind of spell is for casters that have, like, one-third of my anxiety and nothing more.”

The day barely began in Crystal Cove and they had all these problems to think about. The exhaustion was slowly but surely creeping on them. Fred was feeling old. They were all feeling old. Everything was moving at a breakneck pace and seemed to never stop. A new world, new people, new gang, new problems. They prayed that nothing more was added to the list.

“I can wait for this all to settle down so I can find the closest bed and bloody shut down all my bodily functions.” Fred groaned, covering his face with his hands.

“Same.” Was the unison response.

Silence. 

Is either silence or laughter. That could not be healthy.

“Wait, does this mean no kissing???” Shaggy exclaimed which earned three hands flying over his mouth. 

“Not in public, at least. It's a small town on the coast, isolated from major cities by some good miles, most people know each other one way or another” Fred said, removing his hand slowly. 

“Yeah, and they would especially notice if the mayor's son was caught kissing all four of his friends” Added Velma, her hand leaving his mouth to find a place on his shoulder.

“Or, like, kissing said friend’s necks and behind their ears” Shaggy sighed, resigned to the ‘non-affection beyond normal friendly’ future.

“Nice just what we- Wait a second, ‘behind their ear’? Since when does Fred kiss behind ears??” Daphne turned her head so fast that Shaggy was afraid she may break her neck with the speed. When her head didn’t fall off her shoulders, Shaggy finally registered what she said.

“Like, since that one afternoon in grad year, on the roof of the culinary building. I thought he did it to all of us ” Brown eyes looked confused between blue and purple eyes, while said purple eyes were now glaring a hole thru the blue eyes owner's skull.

“Fredrick Jones, what affection partiality bullshit is this?”

“Yeah, Fred what gives?” Now pair of brown eyes was glaring at him, the glare somehow amplified by a pair of glasses, and Fred wanted nothing more than to flee towards the nearest desert to avoid vaporization.

“Ok, in my defence, none of you girls does the little shiver that he does when I kiss you guys there and believe me, I checked” He could feel the intense blush in his face and he just knew that he looked like a blond tomato right now.

“Shivers?” Daphne’s glare lost some of its intensity, her curiosity about new information about one of her lovers superseding her perceived slight. 

Velma’s glare also mellowed down, her eyes now zeroed on Shaggy, who was doing his best to turn into a strawberry from how red he had suddenly turned.

“Yup. They run up and down his spine like a bolt of electricity. He gets all flustered, the most beautiful shade of carmine I have ever seen.” No longer under fear of vaporization via death glare, Fred perked up, a smile of one thousand volts on his face. He loved talking about his loved ones.

“Like, Freddie, man, come on” Redder by the second, Shaggy’s shoulders were perked, covering his ears. God, why didn’t he study those morphing spells more? He would give anything to be a rock right about now.

“Oooooh, so our Norvy darling is a shivery shiver boy, huh?” Daphne smirked, leaning against Shaggy, one arm going around his shoulder, essentially caging him from any last-minute spring to the mountains.

“I will pay you actual money to never say that again” He turned his head in the redhead direction, officially reaching ‘completely red’ status. 

“Oh? But is the truth, isn’t it? Freddie is not one for lies.” Velma piped in, a mischievous look on her face. 

“Are you lying, Freddie?” Daphne turned towards him, her own mischievous look making her purple eyes shine.

“I would never. Scots honour” Fred, the traitor, put a hand over his heart, the picture of sincerity. On second thought, maybe instead of  _ turning  _ into a rock, he could turn  _ Fred _ into a rock.

“What do you say to me and Daph test it out? Just to see it for ourselves…” Velma gravitated to his other side. With Fred right in front of him, he was completely trapped. 

_ Note to self: LEARN THE GODDAMN ROCK MORPHING SPELL!!! _

Giggling like the villains they are, his lovers got closer and closer, their minds probably a mile a minute in all the ways they are going to make him have a cardiac arrest from the blushing alone when...

“Ah, ruys? Rhat rabout that rhing rabout rublic?” Scooby, the one that was the current owner of the brain cell of the gang apparently, commented from the ground. Those kids took too much influence from that Addams couple they met all those years ago. It had to be, because Scooby could NOT, for the life of him, remember them being THIS horny. One of these days he was going to get a cardboard box and write ‘HORNY JAIL’ in it to live them in time out.

The trio deflated, the wind completely blew out of their sails while Shaggy signed in relief, no longer trapped in the soon to be kiss cocoon…

And he was disappointed for some ungodly reason! 

Lined side by side on the stone bannister, the gang groaned in frustration. 

“I hate this already,” Shaggy grumbled, his red cheeks puffed. 

“Yeah.” The other three agreed. 

Scooby muffled a laugh. God, these next days are going to be an amazing shitshow to watch unfold. He gave them one week before they broke down.

Another groan came from the young adults, shoulder to shoulder, their heads touching, soaking in the small scrap of contact that they could have. 

On second thought, a week may be too generous.

All of sudden, they could hear footsteps approaching from inside the building. Young Fred had a smile on his handsome face, putting his phone away as he walked. 

“Hey, guys. Hope I didn’t make you wait too long” He was waving at them, smiling. 

Young Fred was really happy with the presence of this new gang. They seemed so comfortable together, he hoped that they could all hang out. They could go to the beach, eat some Fruitmeir’s. They could even build traps together! He should ask them later.

“Nah, we barely noticed.” Daphne waved back “We were just chatting a little bit, nothing big.”

They had become really good liars along the years, huh.

“So, where now? Did you talk with your gang?” Fred, the older, asked his younger counterpart, making his way towards the van, Scooby softly head butting his left hand earning him a nice pat.

“I called them and told them to meet me at the radio station. It’s owned by a friend of ours that helps us from time to time”

“Groovy! Lead the way” Shaggy smiled, snapping his fingers in rapid succession, making Young Fred laugh.  _ We talk about this more later after we meet their gang and take a good long nap. _

Three different winks of affirmation. Morse code is coming in handy in these weird times.

“Hey, does that radio station have any maps of the town? Not that I don’t enjoy you helping with directions, but I was hoping to familiarize myself better with the place” Daphne casually hopped to young Fred’s side, looping her arm over his shoulders, a sweet smile on her purple lipstick. 

“Sure thing, Angel must have some lying around. I could show you the library too so you could look for them yourself” Young Fred suggested, lining on the embrace. He and his Daphne should do this more, it was nice. 

“Really???” Her smile got impossibly brighter, bouncing in place like a child at a candy store. Young Fred soon found himself locked in a bear crushing hug, the older woman long red hair tickling his nose. “Thanks, Little Freddie, you’re the best”

He hugged her back, a soft look on his face. He had hugged his Daphne before, but this hug felt fundamentally different. Maybe it was her age difference with his best friend or the way she looked at him like he was the most precious thing she had ever seen. Maybe it was the effect of having talked with her about all his trap ideas during the journey here, her attention never wavering.

Maybe it was a combination of all of them. He didn’t know.

That didn’t stop, however, the small part in the back of his mind telling him that this is what a mother embrace felt like.

“Ah chucks, it’s nothing really. What are friends for?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, We are finally back!!! This took an eternity to update! This month was a godforsaken rollercoaster I swear to god. 2020 just CANNOT stop trying to sink into the ground even further. What is it going to throw at us next? WHO KNOWS?!?!?!!?  
> After the Zodiac killer's cypher was solved and we learned that the fucker could not spell "Paradise", everything is on the table now.  
> I hope you guys enjoy my little AU of self-indulgence. Kisses!!!


	8. K-Ghoul Radio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel has an impromptu visit in the middle of her routine. She can tell Other Fred from Her Fred, thank you very much.  
> A name is chosen, someone is kicked in the ribs and the lack of sleep makes a gang more unhinged than they should be.

“K-Ghoul radio everyone. Home of the scariest groves of this side of the map” Fred announced with a flourish, a big smile in his face. 

K-Ghoul was a small single-story building sitting on top of a hill. Dark tan with several windows and a single door, the station's name was shining in gold letters on the front of the building. A tall broadcast antenna sits behind the station building framed by the afternoon sun.

“SCARY?!?!” Scooby jumped from his place on the van’s floor, his face pressed on the window looking at the station as if expecting zombies dressed as late 80’s DJs to come crawling from the front door.

Shaggy, trembling from head to toe, pressed himself in the window by Scooby’s side, seeming to share the same thought.

“Hey hey hey, no one said anything about ‘scary'. If you, like, think I’m going into the haunted radio station you are sorely mistaken” 

Chuckling, the rest of the gang turned to the duo overthinking their situation. Not that they would blame them, with their track record for any place named after any kind of supernatural and/or fear-related words, it was an expected response. 

“Don’t be silly, guys. There is no ghost in there. I and the gang hang out here all the time. We even help Angel take some of the song-request calls from time to time.” Fred patted both in the back, trying to be reassuring. 

The young man was surprised to see them so apprehensive. He, theoretically, knew that they were some older interdimensional version of his scary cat friends, but they had been so confident since they arrived here that his brain didn’t connect this Shaggy and Scooby with _his_ Shaggy and Scooby. 

Looking at them now, he could not contain a small smile. Some things never change even with the passage of the years and dimensional hopping apparently. 

“Promise?” Shaggy turned towards him, his eyes shining a little with repressed magic, clutching the young man white sweater like a vice, nearly crying in stress.

“Reah, Rromise?” 

Chuckling at the scared magician and his familiar invading his personal space, Young Fred smiled softly.

“I Promise.”

A sigh of relief left the duo. Smiling in the reassurance that they were not going to be abducted by the late 90’s Undead shuffling, they relaxed with the certainty that no Fred would lie to them and make them walk into death groove traps. 

_FLASH._

They turned towards the sound. Velma, Daphne and Older Fred were looking smugly at them, a camera on the blonde's hands.

“Could you NOT?” Shaggy deadpanned, his hands still on the younger man sweater, now more in a relaxed lean on than a death grip.

“Awww, but you guys look so cute” Velma cooed “ You look like you are going to cry in relief, Shaggy boy. I should frame this one.” Teased the bespectacled woman, one hand on the door handle with the door half-open, which was good foresight because not one second later a shoe came flying with scary accuracy where her head used to be. Snatching the camera from Fred’s hands, Velma made a run for it. 

“LIKE, GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE ORANGE MEANECE” Shaggy, minus one shoe, dashed after her like a hound on a mission with Scooby on his heels to the confusion of one Fred and the amusement of the other.

“Are they always like that?” he pointed to the crackling sweater-clad woman running in circles with the lanky man and his great Dane, who was having a great old time, on her heels.

“Heh, heh… Don’t worry Little Freddy, they are just teasing each other” Daphne chuckled, leaving the van. 

She and Older Fred made their way to the circling chase. As one, they grabbed one of their lovers by the back, sweeping their feet off the ground. 

While Daphne had an armful of lanky man, Fred was adjusting his one-handed grip on Velma as he made another dive and got Scoob, who had remained running in circles not noticing that ⅔ of the circular tag where missing.

“Daph, like, put me down” Shaggy, shoeless (the one remaining shoe was now lost in the bushes, once again missing to Velma reflexes), deflated on the redhead’s hold. 

“Nah, Nah, mister. You ain’t going nowhere” the grin in her face grew bigger as she propped Shaggy up like a plank with her arms embracing his legs. Together they (she) walked towards the bushes, in search of the missing shoe “ Where does all that food you eat go? I carried twigs that were heavier than you”

“What can I say, man. Magic consumes a ton of calories”

“Shit, dude, where do I sign up then? Lose weight and shoot lasers out of my fingers. Sweet!” 

“Girl, what weight? I live with you, the only thing in you that is way too heavy is that hair of yours. Like, I get the laser part, but every pound you have is those muscles that you gained learning to kick ass in Themyscira with the...”

The rest of their conversation was lost to Fred as they got further away in search of the missing footwear.

Turning to his older counterpart that was with an arm full of Velma and Scoob, Fred approached them smiling. 

“So… Do we get this weird after college or…”

“Living together, dude. After sharing the same roof for pretty much 10 years and travelling all around the world together finding ourselves in the weirdest sleep arrangements in the universe, you gain intimacy that goes beyond any normal friendship.” Older Fred smiled, putting Scooby back in the ground giving him a nice pat, while his other arm hugged Velma closer to his body. 

“Practically soulmates by this point” Velma shrugged, snuggling closer to the older blond. The victorious smile on her face was unmistakable as she holds the camera in her hands as if it was a sacred artefact.

“Wow, that sounds so nice. I and my gang are really close friends too, but I don’t think that we are at the shoe-throwing, carrying each other level yet”

“You guys will get there” Fred smiled at his younger self.

“Or maybe not” Velma intersected, swapping Fred over the head, the previous feral smile now gone, replaced by a subtle realization and apprehensive “you guys should find out by yourselves” she side glared at Fred, who was rubbing his head, a confused look in his face “Isn’t that right, Fred?” she said through her teeth.

His older self looked at her with a confused look in his face. One that he was sure was reflected on his own. Why did she have such a reaction? It was a good response to his question after all.

But his counterpart face lit up with realization. Realization of _what_ he was not sure. Sucking through his teeth, his older self shifted his gaze from the small woman towards him, a look of resignation on his blue eyes.

“When is your gang arriving? We have to discuss some things before we do anything else.”

* * *

To say Angel Dynamite was having a weird day was an understatement. 

She had started her day just as always. Wake up, take a shower, put some clothes on, get her coffee from Chen’s place, regret her life choices as she looked Mr E in the face and tried not to punch him as she made her weekly report on the new chosen gang progress, go to K-Ghoul and drown herself in songs to forget about the shitty hand destiny gave her and her friends, go back home, go to sleep. Rinse, repeat.

The only bright side of her depressing routine was the new gang if she was being honest with herself. Her little listeners had truly made their way through the steel walls that she raised around her heart. She was not supposed to get attached, especially with the way the curse appeared to have a sadistic enjoyment to reap any good thing from peoples hands with extreme violence and psychological damage. 

She feared the way that the curse that had befallen her gang was affecting this new one too. The effect that was having in the town appeared to be growing with the generations. Had her own parents cared so little as theirs? She could not tell and that worried her to no end.

Those were the thoughts that plagued her mind every day, without fail or interruption. So you imagine her surprise when the gang appeared without short notice one day, extra one Fred, interrupting her train of thought like the hippy disaster they were. 

Brain on overdrive, Angel got to her feet, knocking her chair to the floor. Analysing both Freds, she noticed with one was hers and moved to action. She would recognize one of her brats a mile away. 

Grabbing him by the ascot with one hand, she landed an uppercut right at the other Fred gut. As she expected, the gang (now that she was up and close with them she could also say that they are _NOT_ her gang) turned their attention to their wheezing member giving her enough time to grab her Fred and shove him to her back.

What she was _not expecting_ was the kick aimed directly to her head from Not Daphne. Reacting on instinct, she raised her arm to block the leg mid-air, only for Not Daphne to change the course of action mid-kick, bringing the airborne leg to the ground, planting it firmly as her new base and using her other leg to place a kick on her ribs.

Throw to the other side of the lounge, Angel quickly got back into a fighting position, her eyes focused on the redhead who had no business looking like Daphne like she did.

“You sure know how to throw a kick, huh. Just who the hell are you people and what do you want?” Angel and Not Daphne started slowly circling each other, which Angel was glad for now she got back to her position between Fred and the probable body snatchers. 

This was not lost for the gang on the other side. 

“Heh, he has a concerned, not related to him, adult on his side” Not Fred wheezed, slowly getting back on his feet with Not Shaggy and Scooby “How about that” 

Angel frowned at the weird phrasing but assumed once again her fighting stance. 

Both women stared at each other with protective intent on their eyes and a defensive stance on their posture. Unknown to both of them at, in defence of the same person.

“Angel, wait! There is no need to attack, I can explain”

Her Fred said, now standing in front of her. Her posture relaxed unconsciously at the boy’s earnest face. 

Not Daphne also relaxed, Angel, noticed. 

Now that she was looking, all of them seemed to relax from their fight stances. 

Which was giving her even more whiplash because, once again, against her expectations, outside of Not Fred (who, now standing, was still recovering from the gut-punch) and her own Fred, _all of them_ were in a fighting position.

Velma (Not her Velma. Too toned, like she benches pressed tree trunks for fun in her spare time, with red-rimmed glasses and her Velma’s characteristic freckles in all the wrong places) was looking rapidly between the Fred by her side and the one standing right in front of her, looking around the lounge counting the windows and focusing on the single door that served as the entering and exit of the building, no doubt calculating all the ways she could just grab her friends and flee. 

Not Daphne, although relaxed, had not moved from her position. No doubt she could reverse back into defence mode in a drop of a hat.

But what really threw her out of balance were Not Shaggy and Scooby. 

The lanky man was the one that looked the farthest away from what her own Shaggy should be. Lanky, yes. But where her Shaggy was mostly bone and too long limbs this one was lean muscle and had a more sure footing. It was not by much, but he was taller than what her Shaggy should be. But his face… so similar but so flagrantly different (from the fuller beard to the buzz cut on the left side of his head). She looked at those brown eyes, framed by more laughter lines than there was before in her memories of this same face, expecting to find them full of fear... But what she saw was fear being overwhelmed by immense determination. 

Looking at the man’s dog at his feet, the same determination glimmered on his big eyes, his teeth bared in a silent snarl. Even if his position was weird and didn't appear to be an actual fighting stance (with his hand over his head, it looked like he was preparing to throw a non-existent rock at her) she knew instantly what would be the outcome of this conflict if she presented herself as a threat to the lanky man and his furry friend.

Fear or no, they would attack her to protect their friend.

Pride flooded her. Even if they were not _hers,_ they were still taller versions of her brats. Seeing them so sure and confident did things to her heart.

Coming to think of it, all of them seemed a little more confident, a little taller, a little stronger and a little more mature than her brats… it was almost like… 

“Boy, when did you find time in all your trap making to build a time machine?” hands on her hips, Angel glared at the older blond. 

A room of dumbfold eyes turned towards her. The fight left all their bodies in an instant, an exasperated look on all their faces. 

They were not denying it. 

A sudden laugh broke the tension; Older Fred had mirth in his eyes and a boyish smile on his face, looking at her as if she was the most interesting thing that he had ever seen.

“You do know us well, don’t you?” he chuckled “You are not far off what happened, but you are wrong to think that it was my doing.”

He approached her in sure steps, his friends opening the way for him to pass.

“Now thinking of it, if it was a time machine related shenanigan it would more likely fall under Velms shoulders”

“Hey!” Responded the sweater-clad woman.

Angel looked at the shorter woman, with her cheeks puffed in false indignation and her arms crossed over her chest.

Angel snorted.

“I can see it,” she said.

“HEY!” came the indignant yell. Turning around towards one of the corners of the lounge, Velma keep on with her charade of sulking, her shoulders even more hunched than before.

Shaggy and Daphne snorted at the display while Scooby went and patted Velma on the head.

“Rhere, rhere”

And just like that, the tension was lifted. It was a frail stalemate at best, but anything was better than nothing.

Looking at all of them, their faces so familiar and yet so strange, Angel braced herself for the story of a lifetime. But first…

“You guys are going to sit down and explain it to me, and explain it well but first…” she turned to both Young and Old Fred “I can’t keep dividing you two by age in my head, there are too many Freds in my life and my limit is two, nor I can keep calling you Fred and Not Fred so we have to reach a compromise.”

“Seems, like, reasonable” Shaggy seated on her rug, Scooby behind him as the world warmest and furriest backrest “When the other we arrive we can go over with them to see what to call us. Less confusion on the long run.”

“The way you phrased it… Just how many Freds do you know Angel?” Daphne was in one of the couches, her ankles crossed “Also, sorry for the kick on the ribs. Force of habit" she smiled apologetically.

“Don’t mention it, girl. If you guys are who I think you are, then mystery-solving must have gone to the next level with the years for you guys to go into “Touch my friends and die” mode pretty much on command” 

“You can say that again,” Velma said, sitting by Daphne’s side “the crooks get more and more weird and violent with the time I swear to you”

“I can imagine” Angel laughed softly “As for your question, ginger, Fred’s old man is also Fred.” She frowned “ Now come to think of it, why didn’t you guys know this?”

“We will explain when the gang arrives. This entire thing is way too long and way too complicated to explain two times from what I gathered.” Her Fred said, looking at his counterpart in earnest “I'm super excited to see where we match and where we don’t”

Not Fred smiled kindly at the younger man, ruffling his hair with fondness.

“So do I, Little Me. So do I.”

The younger man laughed, leaning closer to the hand in his locks and Angel asked herself when was the last time Mayor Jones was this affectionate with his only son.

It was sad how short her memory was for that answer.

“Herman”

Breaking from her thoughts, Angel turned towards Daphne, who had a shit-eating smirk on her face.

“What?” Older Fred was looking at her, his eyes turned to slits by his laser glare.

“To differentiate you guys.” Her smile just got bigger and more feral “It’s your middle name, isn’t it?”

“You are not calling me Herman” Fred crossed his arms, his tone carried finality. 

Not that Daphne cared.

“Why not, Hermie, my boy? It is your name.”

“That right there is why I will not let you use Herman. Next thing I know you will find the Herman’s Mayo branch of this place and fill my room with it. Again.”

The rest of the room was looking between them like it was a tennis match, turning their head from player to player absorbed by the marvellous debate unfolding before their eyes. 

“You could retaliate if you weren't a chicken” Daphne's smile now was one of absolute delight, milking every second of Fred’s twitching right eye.

“YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS ANNE! THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE FUN ON ANNE!”

“It’s because you have no Vision!” 

As Daphne crackled like a deranged witch at Fred’s descent into madness, the rest of the room was quietly observing. Half of it in disinterest due to exposure; The other in fascination at the familiarity and comfort that both had with each other, even in their bickering.

“Are they like this all the time?” Angel asked Velma, not living her eyes away from Fred's many attempts to make fun of Anne. Even her Fred tried to help, but none of them was having any success it seemed.

“With this particular debate? Every second Tuesday” She looked fondly at them; Scooby had also joined the ‘Let's find anything that makes fun of Anne’ crusade. Also without much success. 

Projecting her voice over, Velma reminded them that there was still a pending name decision and that they shouldn’t let themselves be sidetracked.

Apologizing, they turned back to their previous spots; Daphne was still grinning, clearly seeing the lack of a good Anne joke as an absolute victory.

“Ok. Now that we have calmed down, let's think back to the options, not Herman,” a nod of approvement from Fred “that we have-”

“You are, like, Anne idiot” Shaggy, who until that point was quiet at his spot on the floor, looked at Daphne with a triumphant smile, proud of his little wordplay.

Daphne snorted.

“Nice one, did you steal that one from Happy Bunny?”

“And what if I had?” Shaggy smiled at her, a clear challenge “It would not make you less of an Anne idiot”

“Oooooooooh, do you really wanna start _Norville?”_ Daphne's smile was positively unhinged now; Her body angled over Shaggy’s like a lioness looking over her prey.

Velma groaned from behind her hands; while Older Fred looked at the confrontation with such “I’m so done with this nonsense” expression that Angel was marginally impressed by, Younger Fred was looking in awe, wanting to see where this particular debate was going to unfold.

The kid was too goddam pure for his own good.

“Frederick. Why don't we go with Frederick.” Angel suggested absolute delight on her voice. Those brats were fun.

“YES. Frederick is good. Fredrick is great! Let's end this argument please, I'm too tired for this!” Older Fred, now Frederick, pleaded to his two arguing friends, who were having an absolute blast making fun of each other's names.

Angel looked upon this group. So similar and yet so different from her own. It was no denying they were her gang, even if from what she saw, completely unhinged (she was hoping it was just from lack of sleep because if it was not so God help her.) Crystal Cove better prepare.

“Hey Norville, how does it feel to have the worst name ever, huh?”

“Shut up, your mother buys you Mega Blocks instead of LEGOs”

“You Fucking Take That Back”

And as Daphne tried to grab Shaggy's neck, but missing by a hair to the much faster man, Angel smiled. Yup, they will have no idea what hit them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And once again I took an eternity to post. Sorry!  
> I enjoy this story immensely, but I'm in the journey to find my own writing style and I feel like this particular fic (that was a plot bunny that got waaaay to big one day) was written so fast that it doesn't look good to me specifically.  
> What are you guys thoughts? Is there something weird with the structure? Too much detail? Too little detail? The details are in parts that are irrelevant in the long run?  
> Should I rewrite it? if yes, should I delete this one or post both at the same time?  
> Comment with your thoughts. Your guys' reviews are a great help to me.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment. Pretty please with a cherry on top!!
> 
> I love reviews and theories on my works!  
> Review my work and tell me what you guys think. I promise that I will read all of them!


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